The Queer Arts Festival returns to Project Contemporary Artspace for another year, the official opening on Friday night.
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This year multiple venues are taking part including the Little Prince and One Five One in Wollongong, the Servo Food Truck Bar in Port Kembla and Wollongong Library.
The program will run across three weekends and include drag performances, an art exhibition, a free community art project, trivia, plus open mic for musicians and comedians.
Co-curator of the festival Milli Wheeler said she was most excited about the number of collaborations with the different spaces.
The art exhibition will run at the Artspace from July 4 to 21.
More details are at www.facebook.com/wollongongqueerartsfest/
FULL PROGRAM
Queer Arts Exhibition Wed 4 July – Sun 22 July @ Project Contemporary Artspace
The Art Exhibition is contemporary, with an awesome quality of work that really highlights the bright nature of the queer community in Wollongong (despite how hidden it may be to some).
The exhibit is made up of a majority of artists who identify under the LGBTQIA acronym.
Fri 6 July – Opening night/Festival Launch @ Project from 6pm
This will be an opportunity for queer artists and our audience to mingle, chat and get a look at the amazing range of works we have this year.
We will also see a drag performance by Déjà Vu which Project Artspace probably hasn’t seen before.
Fri 6 July – Afterparty hosted by Unity @ Little Prince 9pm
Unity have jumped on board this year with amazing support and offered to host an after party featuring performances by DJ Chelsey and Vallarie Van Gogh.
Sat 7 July – Queerspace Pink Party @ OneFiveOne 9pm
Queerspace have also offered a lot of support this year by hosting events.
The Pink Party will have drag shows, live performances, queer music and of course a pink theme.
Sat 14 July – Community Art Project @ Project 12pm
This is a family friendly and free event open to everyone who wants to play around with paint and get messy. Paint some fabric banners to display during future festivals and to display at Project during Viva La Gong!
Sat 14 July – Mad Hatted Tea Party @ Project 2pm
Originally organized for “the quiet gays” and for those who don’t include partying on their list of hobbies. There will be tea, snacks, friendly chats. Fancy hats are optional too.
Sun 15 July – Sam Read’s Performance Art @ Project 12pm
Young contemporary artist Sam Read will be participating in an endurance performance that explores his experiences with gay hookup culture, technology’s role in this and internalized homophobia within the community.
Sun 15 July – Open Mic @ Servo Food Truck Bar 4pm
Doors open at 4pm, Performances start from 5pm. We love to shine light on our creative community and that doesn’t just stop at visual art. We love to hear from poets, musicians, and drag artists. Our Open Mic is an all-ages open call to anyone who may want to perform in a safe, encouraging environment with local band Fruit headlining the evening.
Tues 17 July – Queerspace Trivi-YAAS! @ Little Prince 7:30pm
Queerspace are hosting a pop culture Trivia at Little Prince covering topics from Buffy, Drag Race, Pokemon, The Sims, Charmed, Madonna, Pulp Fiction, Nintendo, Hip Hop and everything in between.
Wed 18 July – 78ers Talk @ Wollongong Library 7pm
The veterans from Mardi Gras 1978 are the heroes who fought for us in a time harder than the one we exist in now.
The 78ers talk is a bookings essential event and is an opportunity to listen to and engage with people as they discuss the social and political context of the 1978 Mardi Gras and its long term impacts.
Thurs 19 June – Queer Comedy @ Little Prince 7pm
Wollongong Comedy are hosting an Open Mic Comedy event for a night of laughs, drinks, and voices from the LGBTQIA+ community
Sat 21 July – Drag Story Time @Wollongong Library 10am
Drag Story time is an all-ages, family friendly event hosted by Wollongong Library and special Guest Miss Roxee who will be engaging children and guests in story time, singing and special craft!
Sun 22 July – ‘Telling Tales: 40 Fabulous Years of Floats, Fun, Fantasy and Fortitude’ Richard Hedger Book signing/Talk @ Project 2pm
Richard Hedger is a Sydney Photographer who self published a crowd funded, hard cover book pf photographs that celebrates 40 years of Mardi Gras.
Richard will be in Wollongong for discussion about his work, process, and book signings.
